Six Killed in Kraków Main Square Shooting as Poland Points to Far-Right Views

Six people were killed and more than a dozen wounded when a gunman opened fire in Kraków’s Main Market Square in a Krakow shooting that shocked Poland on Saturday afternoon, in Poland’s deadliest shooting since the fall of communism in 1989. Polish officials said the suspect, a Polish man in his mid-20s, appeared to have been influenced by far-right ideology, and prosecutors have opened a terror investigation.

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FAKTA

• Six people were killed in Kraków’s Main Market Square on 7 November 2026: four women and two men.
• More than a dozen people were wounded, including two police officers; the suspect was shot and wounded by police and is in hospital.
• Police said the gunman drove to several spots in the square from about 3 p.m. local time and fired at random with an AR-15 rifle. He held a firearms licence.
• Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said everything pointed to the shooter having been influenced by far-right ideology and holding ultra-nationalist views, but that this had yet to be verified.
• Three more bodies were later found at the suspect’s home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, about 150 kilometres northeast of Kraków.
• Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the attack an act of terrorism; Poland has declared national days of mourning on 8 and 9 November.
• Among the dead were three Polish nationals and one British national; five foreign nationals were among the wounded.

The Krakow Shooting: What Happened in the Square

Police said they began receiving reports at around 3 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) that an assailant had opened fire from a car in the Main Market Square, one of the largest medieval squares in Europe and the heart of Poland’s second city. The gunman drove to several spots in the pedestrian square and fired at random at people enjoying a busy Saturday afternoon. Officers confronted him a short distance away, shot and wounded him, and took him into custody. He was taken to hospital for surgery and remains in a serious condition.

Police spokesperson Andrzej Fijołek told broadcaster TVN24 that the attacker used an AR-15 rifle and held a firearms licence. Police said there was no second suspect and that the only known perpetrator was in custody.

Victims From Several Countries

Police chief Marek Boroń said three of the dead were Polish and one was British, while two victims had not yet been identified. The UK Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband, confirmed the death of the British citizen. Five foreign nationals from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia and Britain were among the wounded. The dead in the square were four women and two men.

Hours later, police found the bodies of two women and a man at the suspect’s home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, about 150 kilometres northeast of Kraków. Prime Minister Donald Tusk told reporters the three were found at the shooter’s home; Polish media reported they were believed to be his parents and sister. That would bring the total number of people killed in connection with the suspect to nine.

St Mary’s Basilica stands on Kraków’s Main Market Square, where the shooting took place.

Far-Right Views Under Investigation

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński told a news briefing that “everything suggests that the perpetrator held very, very radical views” and was “fascinated by far-right ideologies” with ultra-nationalist views. He stressed that the indications had yet to be verified and that the motive remained under investigation. A number of weapons were found in the car the suspect was driving.

Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz called the shooting an “act of terror” against the people of Kraków, and Prime Minister Tusk also described it as terrorism. Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek said the suspect was being investigated on suspicion of murder in connection with the six deaths in Kraków, and that terror-offence specialists in the prosecutor’s office were leading the investigation.

A City in Mourning

Kraków Mayor Łukasz Gibała declared a period of mourning in the city until Wednesday, 11 November, saying “the square will belong to us again”. Poland declared national days of mourning on 8 and 9 November. President Karol Nawrocki said he was deeply concerned, and Prime Minister Tusk travelled to Kraków on Saturday night.

The shooting adds to a sense of unease in Poland after a string of school stabbings in October which authorities said was influenced by violent and extremist content online. Kraków, a popular tourist destination renowned for its safety, had not seen violence on this scale in decades.

Kyiv’s Air Defences Under Strain

The attack came as Europe’s wider security picture darkened. Overnight on 6-7 November, Russia fired 36 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and the surrounding region along with 172 drones, in one of the heaviest barrages of the war. Ukrainian air defences shot down only four of the 36 ballistic missiles, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, blaming a shortage of interceptors for the US-made Patriot systems. Nine people were wounded, including a child, and strikes damaged power lines carrying electricity from the Rivne and Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plants, causing blackouts in five regions. Kyiv’s Northern Bridge over the Dnipro was also damaged and closed. The barrage landed three days before US-brokered talks are due to open in Abu Dhabi on 10-11 November.

Conclusion

Poland is now asking how a licensed gun owner with apparent extremist views was able to turn one of Europe’s most visited squares into a scene of terror. With the suspect in hospital and unable to be questioned, investigators face a difficult task in establishing a motive, while Kraków and the whole country mourn nine lives lost in a single day.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many people were killed in the Kraków shooting?

Six people were killed in the Main Market Square itself: four women and two men. Three more bodies were later found at the suspect’s home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski.

Who was the suspect?

Police described the suspect as a Polish citizen in his mid-20s from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. He was shot and wounded by police, arrested, and taken to hospital for surgery.

What weapon was used?

Police spokesperson Andrzej Fijołek told TVN24 the attacker used an AR-15 rifle and held a firearms licence. A number of weapons were found in his car.

What do officials say about the motive?

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said everything pointed to the shooter having been influenced by far-right ideology and holding ultra-nationalist views, but stressed this had yet to be verified and remained under investigation.

Was it called a terrorist attack?

Yes. Prime Minister Donald Tusk called it an act of terrorism, Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz called it an act of terror, and terror-offence specialists in the prosecutor’s office are leading the investigation.

How long is the mourning period?

Poland declared national days of mourning on 8 and 9 November, and Kraków’s mayor declared city mourning until Wednesday, 11 November.

What happened in Kyiv the same weekend?

Overnight on 6-7 November, Russia fired 36 ballistic missiles and 172 drones at Kyiv and other regions. Ukrainian defences shot down only four of the missiles, and nine people were wounded as power outages spread across five regions.